


Missing Her (He Never Had To)

by fadedflowers



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 04:23:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13733076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedflowers/pseuds/fadedflowers
Summary: “Port Damali? Perfect. I would love to come along,” the blue tiefling grinned happily.“What?” His eyes widened in surprise.“I would like to join you,” she gestured to his boat, “on your trip.”





	1. Day One

“You will be paid well for your trip.”  
  
“Thank you, sir. The supply will get there within the week.”  
  
A hand came out, meeting one of the half-orc’s, to confirm their deal, and soon enough, the green half-orc put the last of his shipment in his boat. The human left soon after.  
  
The half-orc was preparing his boat when he sensed someone approaching, he turned around, spotting a short, blue tiefling.  
  
“I just heard you will be going on a trip?” she asked interested, eyes wide with hope.  
  
“Yeah, I am. I got a shipment I got to make on the Menagerie Coast.” He looked at her curiously, wondering why she had come up to him. She possibly had a job for him?  
  
“Where on the Menagerie Coast?” She prodded, and he observed her head leaning forward in anticipation.  
  
“Uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.” He was not sure it was polite continuing a conversation without proper formalities.  
  
“Jester!” The tiefling smiled wide and stepped forward. She put out her hand for him to shake.  
  
He got down from his boat and did so in kind.  
  
“What is your name?”  
  
“Fjord,” he gave a single nod of confirmation.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Fjord,” Jester let go of his hand. “Now that we know each other, where are you going on the Menagerie Coast?”  
  
Fjord was taken aback by her bluntness and paused before answering, “I’m heading up to the eastern side, might stop by Port Damali.” He glanced over his shoulder towards the direction he would be heading.  
  
“Port Damali? Perfect. I would love to come along,” the blue tiefling grinned happily.  
  
“What?” His eyes widened in surprise.  
  
“I would like to join you,” she gestured to his boat, “on your trip.”  
  
“Uh, I don’t know…” He looked back over his shoulder to his transportation boat.  
  
“Come on! It will be so much fun. I even have my own food and everything.” Jester nodded quickly, pulling out her large-sized bag of pastries.  
  
Fjord watched her take out the bag, “Aren’t those just desserts?”  
  
“That’s all I eat, really,” she shrugged.  
  
“This trip would be a few days,” he warned her, “I don’t know if that’d sustain you.”  
  
“Oh, I’ll be fine.” Jester waved him off with a smile.  
  
“Uh, well,” he glanced behind himself once again, then looked back to Jester, “sure, I don’t see why not.”  
  
“Great!” She grinned brightly. “When do we leave?”  
  
“I was gonna leave now, if you’re okay with that.”  
  
“Oh, that’s perfect.” Jester nodded.  
  
“Great,” he waved a hand out to his boat, “hop on board.” He stepped forward, hiking himself up. He turned around and offered a hand to her to help her him.  
  
“What a gentleman. I could do it myself, but I don’t mind it,” Jester continued to smile as she came aboard his vessel.  
  
A small smile appeared spread on Fjord’s lips. His head ducked down as he replied, “Alright.” He went about his way; he detached the boat and lifted his anchor, ready to set sail to his destination.  
  
Suddenly, he froze, “Jester, you don’t get motion sickness, do you?”  
  
“No, I do not,” the tiefling spoke proudly.  
  
“Okay, good,” Fjord responded in relief, shoulders relaxing.  
  
“You don’t have to worry about me, Fjord, I am a good passenger,” Jester assured with a nod.  
  
Fjord turned in her direction, “Okay, I’m trusting you.”  
  
“You can always put your trust in me,” she grinned.  
  
Fjord met her eyes, “And you can in me as well.”  
  
“Then this will be the perfect trip!” Jester put her arms wide, then promptly put them down, happy that everything was going so well.  
  
Fjord nodded, not sure how to respond, then went back to tending to the boat. He set the sails and began to put the boat on course.  
  
“So, uh, why you headed to Port Damali?” Fjord asked after a few moments of silence.  
  
“A piece of parchment that said Port Damali on it landed right on my feet! I figured it must have been a sign from The Traveler that I must go there.” Jester spoke with a definitive nod.  
  
Fjord’s brows furrowed, “Okay,” he drew out, “interesting.”  
  
“I’m sure whatever I’m looking for will be there.” Jester continued hopefully.

“I hope so,” Fjord told her sincerely.  
  
Jester then proceeded to take out a journal and begin to sketch. Fjord took that as his cue to focus on the sails of his boat.

 

* * *

 

As hours passed by and the the night wore on, Jester made herself comfortable on one side of the boat, content with the night air brushing against her face as she went to sleep on her pack.  
  
Fjord felt bad that he did not have a blanket or a pillow for her to sleep on, but he did not even have any for himself. He was not allowed to be in a deep sleep while he was on the seas. There were a lot of creatures that crept in the depths and moments where the tides could become dangerous.  
  
He had been sailing for years, so he knew what to look for and how to maintain a light sleep in order to stay alert. However, there had been close calls that unnerved him, though not enough to keep him away from sailing or taking on jobs. Fjord reminded himself that those close calls did not happen each time he sailed on the seas, even when he had the occasional nightly disturbance.  
  
He could handle the nightmares given to him by the creatures who swam below him. They did not happen every night and only at sea. He simply hoped he would not wake up in a sweat of sea salt while his new companion was near him. He did not want to scare her or make her feel trapped as she joined him on his trip. Fjord also did not know her well enough to be comfortable sharing that information.  
  
Maybe in time, but not today.


	2. Day Two

“Fjord, what do you dream about?”   
  
The question caught him off guard. Fjord was able to catch a few hours before he was back doing maintenance on the boat the next morning.   
  
He was surprised see her up at the crack of dawn, but even more surprised with her enthusiasm for the morning.   
  
“I, uh, dream about the water, the ocean,” he clarified, making it a point not to lie, only omit.   
  
“Do all sailors dream about the water?” Jester wondered.   
  
“I don’t know.” Fjord deterred the conversation, “What do you dream about?”   
  
“Lots of things,” Jester told him cheerfully, “I dream of desserts, sometimes spiders and rats, though that’s usually The Traveler’s doing, and just lots of different things!”   
  
Fjord nodded. “That’s nice,” he commented, “that you dream up nice sorts of things,” he paused, “mostly.” The mention of spiders and rats caused a peculiar expression to appear on his face, but he figured it was best to bypass that.   
  
“I like your accent.” Jester stated.   
  
Taken aback, Fjord replied, “Uh, thank you very much.”   
  
“Where are you from?” Jester inquired.   
  
“Port Damali.” Fjord did not mind her questions, finding her constant conversations endearing.   
  
“I’ve never been to Port Damali, but obviously I’m going now,” the blue tiefling added.   
  
Fjord nodded, “And where are you from?”   
  
“Nicodranas,” Jester answered.   
  
“What takes you out here?”   
  
“I felt that I needed to explore, get more in touch with being a cleric, so I got on a boat and left,” she paused, “but I’m running out of money now, so I’m going to need to write to my mother as soon as possible.”   
  
“I’m sure we can find a place once we get onto the coast, though we might have more luck at Port Damali.” Fjord thought it over, wondering how to travel would be from both of those locations. “Were you planning to head back home after Port Damali or keep traveling?”   
  
“I haven’t decided yet.” She glanced up towards the birds chirping in the air and tilted her head. “I’m hoping The Traveler tells me what to do at Port Damali.”   
  
“Have you learned more about being a cleric on your travels so far?” Fjord shifted the direction of the boat as the wind took a different turn.   
  
“Not too much,” Jester admitted, “but hopefully I’ll know more when I go to Port Damali.”  
  
“Seems fair,” Fjord said, nodding.   
  
“How long will it take to get there?” Jester prodded.   
  
“Well, we left yesterday morning,” the half-orc played around with a timeline in his head, “so about two more days until we get to the coast I need to get to, then a little under a day after that.”   
  
“Sounds good, and it leaves us a lot of time to get to know each other better!” Jester grinned.   
  
Fjord hesitated, but ultimately responded, “Sure.”   
  
“Now, would you like a donut?” Jester pulled a donut out of her pack and showed it to him.   
  
“No,” Fjord shook his head and glanced down at the food supply he brought for himself, “I got some food for myself, but thanks,” he added sincerely.   
  
“Are you sure? They’re really good,” Jester pushed her hand closer to him, a large smile on her face.   
  
“Yeah, I’m sure. Thanks.” He figured she only had so many donuts and whatever else she had for herself that he did not want to take any of it away.   
  
Jester shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She pulled back and began to eat the donut for herself, content with the delightfully sugary contents it brought her.   
  
Looking down at his food supply, he decided it was as good a time as any to have something to eat.   
  
Fjord made sure to bring non-perishable food items and clean water that would last him a week or longer each time he had to make a run. Sometimes there were storms, whirlpools, or creatures that came out of their depths that prolonged his journey for a number of days. He had to be prepared so he did not starve, even if the trip was only supposed to last a few short days.   
  
“Do you make trips like this all the time?” Jester asked curiously, swallowing her mouth full of donut.   
  
Fjord nodded, “Yeah. I get paid to deliver supplies from one part of a coast to another, generally from a lot of different people, but I do get repeats.” In his line of business, he had to make connections and have the good will of people who would be willing to hire him for work. He had built up a nice reputation for himself thus far and had made a good bit of coin around these parts as a sailor.   
  
“That sounds cool,” Jester commented, “getting to go around different places, experiencing new things.”   
  
“It’s interesting,” the half-orc nodded again, “probably a lot of desserts you might not have had before.”   
  
Jester’s face lit up, “Really?”   
  
“Yeah, ones that are local to the area,” he clarified.   
  
“Oh gosh, I can’t wait to try the desserts at Port Damali. I bet they’re all sea-based.”   
  
“Uh,” he furrowed his brows and tilted his head slightly, “not exactly, but I think you’ll like them.”   
  
“Oh, I bet! I like all dessertes!” She paused. “Except chocolate covered crickets, and I’m not sure they were chocolate covered.” She grimaced, thinking back to that moment in her life.   
  
“Why did you think they were?” Fjord asked, eyeing her strangely.   
  
“Some guy told me they were!” Jester exasperated, “But they definitely weren’t,” she shook her head feverently.   
  
“Yeah,” he drawled out, “I wouldn’t be taking chocolate-covered things from strangers anymore.”   
  
“No,” she continued to shake her head, “never again!”   
  
Fjord nodded, eyeing her once more, “Good.”   
  
“I wouldn’t give you chocolate-covered crickets, by the way, only normal things covered in chocolate,” she assured him.   
  
“And I thank you for that.” His bros raised slightly, “I will also not give you anything chocolate-covered unless it was edible.”   
  
“Thank you!” She smiled, “I trust you Fjord.”   
  
“I’ll do my best to make sure that trust stays in tact,” he informed her seriously.   
  
“Good,” her eyes softened, “because you can always trust me.”   
  
“I bet I can,” he told her, knowing that it would be awhile before his guard drops down completely, but having a good feeling about Jester as a person.   
  
Fjord was not the most trusting person. He gave bits and pieces of trust. However, to get the full gambit, it took awhile, and he thought that if he and Jester kept in contact, they might be able to get to that place.   
  
A part of him hoped they would.


	3. Day Three

Jester snored.   
  
The first night, Fjord was able to meld the noise coming from Jester to the crashing ocean waves. On the second night, he began distracted, then was able to tune her out.   
  
In a way, he liked the background noise. He was use to laying out on the boat, looking at the stars, thinking, and using the sound of the ocean as his reminder that he was not truly alone at sea. Jester was actually there, a true, pure reminder, that he was not on this trip alone. And he was use to being on trips alone. Having Jester there was, in a way, easier.   
  
And if Jester’s snoring helped him keep a peace of mind he was use to doing alone, then no one would be the wiser. Fjord would not have her around forever, so he enjoyed her presence while it lasted and prepared himself for when she left.   


 

* * *

 

Fjord and Jester had been lucky with the weather thus far. Rain had not fallen and the winds had not been dangerous. As someone who encountered the opposite quite a number of times before, Fjord was going to relish in the clear skies and open waters.   
  
“How long have you been sailing for?” Jester asked, hands clasped together on her lap.   
  
“Since I was sixteen,” he informed her, “my father got me started.”   
  
“That’s nice,” she paused before stating plainly, “my father’s missing, has been for years now.”   
  
“Oh,” the half-orc frowned, “I’m sorry to hear that.”   
  
“Yeah, we were too. One night, just poof! Gone. Out of nowhere.” Jester raised her brows and shook her head.   
  
“What do you think happened?” Fjord’s mind went to the worst case scenario: that Jester’s father left her family and the only answers Jester would find were heartbreak.   
  
“I don’t know,” Jester said honestly, a flicker of a frown gracing her usual happy features.   
  
“Well, maybe you’ll find him one day.” And Fjord hoped there would not be heartache when she did.   
  
“Maybe.” Jester gave him a small smile, appreciative of the optimism he gave her. Putting herself back together and getting away from the mentions of her past, she brightened up as best she could, “You and your dad seem close,” she remarked.   
  
“Yeah, we’re okay. I haven’t seen him much the past few years. He retired in a town further up north. He’s been sick, so I’ve been sending money where I can to help out.”   
  
“You’re a good person, Fjord,” Jester told him sincerely.   
  
“Thank you. I try to be.”   
  
They held each other’s gaze for a moment, small, honest smiles on their faces. It was obvious to both of them that neither had had serious conversations with others about their life in recent memory. Fjord and Jester were just a little more exposed to each other, and unbeknownst to them, changed their tides.   
  
Fjord glanced down, trying to think of something to say, when Jester broke the silence.   
  
“I think I’m gonna sketch for a little while.”   
  
Fjord nodded, “Okay. I should probably take up the sails again.”   
  
Jester gave him a firm nod in acknowledgement and pulled out her journal.   
  
He watched her for a moment, then stood from where he sat to check on the sails and estimate where to turn them based on his estimation of the breezes coming passed.   
  
He could not remember the last time he talked about his father with anyone, but there was a sort of relief letting someone else know a part of his life, even if that someone will be going away soon.   


 

* * *

 

“Fjord, do you ever fish for your food?”   
  
“Um, no, not really” Fjord’s eyebrows furrowed. “Can’t make a fire to cook ‘em on.”   
  
“That makes sense. If you tried, your whole boat would go up in flames,” her eyes widened.   
  
“Yup. That’s why I stick to my non-perishables.”   
  
“Have you ever tried to make a fire on your boat?”   
  
Fjord stared at her for a moment. “No, no I have not.”   
  
Jester nodded. “I should learn how to make a fire.”   
  
“You don’t know how to make a fire?” Fjord was surprised, figuring that was a survival skill most knew how to do.   
  
“Nope! Never learned. Can you?” There was something else to her tone that the half-orc could not pinpoint.   
  
“I can,” he nodded in confirmation.   
  
Jester smiled, eyes twinkling, “Maybe you could teach me sometime.”   
  
“Sure, of course.”   
  
“Great.” Jester’s smile broadened, watching Fjord’s honest and kind eyes, very much looking forward to the day she would be taught how to make fire with Fjord.   
  
Fjord eyed her smile suspiciously. “Why do you need me to teach you fire exactly?”   
  
“Oh, you know,” she waved a hand, doing her best to lie, “cook some food if I’m ever left out in a forest.”   
  
Fjord paused, thinking it over. “Nevermind, I think I’ll have to… think over if I’m going to teach you how to build a fire.”   
  
Jester pouted.   
  
“But if you ever truly needed to create a fire, I will build one for you.”   
  
Jester smiled, then her expression faltered, “You’re not gonna be there for me all the time though,” her head dropped down a bit, “will you?”   
  
Fjord and Jester held each other’s gaze for what felt like hours, but was only a smattering of seconds.   
  
“I’ll teach you how to build a fire,” he spoke softly, keeping eye contact.   
  
“Okay!” And Jester was back to her journal.   
  
Fjord once again watched her actions, wondering if that was a defense mechanism whenever conversations got too serious.   
  
He did not ask, and he left her be.


	4. Arrival

“How long till we get to Port Damali?”   
  
Fjord thought it over, “We’ll probably land on the coast later tonight, then leave in the morning for Port Damali, if that sounds alright.”   
  
“Sounds good to me,” Jester nodded. “I’ve never been so far up the coast.”   
  
“You haven’t?” Fjord hesitated before continuing, “Maybe you could join me on my future trips?”   
  
“Really?” Jester smiled, “That sounds fun, I’d like that.”   
  
“Good, I’m glad.” Fjord met her smile with closed-lip one of his own.   
  
He turned away to shift the sails, but Jester kept her gaze on him, chest filling with an unusual warmth.   


 

* * *

  
  
“How many hours now?” Jester asked, referencing when they were going to land by the docks on the coast.   
  
“Uh,” Fjord took a moment to think, “nine hours I think?” That was if there were no issues with weather. They had smooth sail up until this point, and he hoped that continued. A sailor only got lucky every so often. Fjord thought he had a lucky charm on his boat this journey.   
  
“We’re gonna get there late,” she commented. “Are we gonna try to find an inn?”   
  
“I can help you find one,” he offered, “but I’m staying with my boat, especially since I’m aiming to leave at dawn.”   
  
“Well, I’m not gonna leave you alone!”   
  
“You don’t have to stay with me,” he assured, “it’s much more comfortable at an inn than it is staying on a boat.”   
  
“Oh, it’s fine! We’ve been sleeping here for days! It’s no big deal!” Jester brought up her hands and then brought them down in exaggeration.   
  
“Okay. It’s your choice. I’d be glad to have your company.”   
  
“Of course! I’m great company,” Jester grinned, “and so are you Fjord, and very handsome.”   
  
Fjord’s head ducked down as he replied, “Thanks.”   
  
“You’re welcome.” Jester gave him a sweet smile in return. “I just wanted to tell you that.”   
  
“Well, I appreciate it.” He met her gaze once again.   
  
“I’m really glad I ran into you, Fjord. I always thought sailors were stinky, but you’re not at all, so I’m glad you’re a not stinky sailor.” She firmly nodded, completely serious.   
  
“I have not met many stinky sailors. It’s just a misconception,” Fjord informed the tiefling.   
  
“I haven’t met many sailors, just you.”   
  
“I’m happy that I’m making a good impression on you,” he paused, “as a sailor.”   
  
“You’re my favorite sailor,” Jester brightened.   
  
“I thought you haven’t met any sailors but me before?” He tried to repress his smile, inquiring almost playfully.   
  
“I haven’t, but you’re still my favorite.”   
  
“I appreciate that as well,” he let a smile consume his expression.   
  
“Well, I appreciate you, sailor!”   
  
“And I appreciate you. You’ve been great company,” Fjord told her honestly.   
  
“I told you I was! Just like you are! We’re great company, Fjord. That’s why we get along so well,” Jester nodded.   
  
“Sure,” Fjord agreed, somewhat, “yeah, that’s why.”   
  
“Have you ever had anybody else on this boat before?” she glanced around the boat, “Other than you, of course.”   
  
“No,” he shook his head, “you’re the first.”   
  
“That makes me feel special,” Jester clasped her hands together and grinned.   
  
Her reaction caused him to chuckle, “You should. Boat’s the only thing I got for myself,” he patted the wood nearest to him.   
  
“Now you got me!” She continued to smile, forgetting that they could be parting ways sooner rather than later, even though Fjord had asked her to come along with him.   
  
He watched her for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. “Yeah.”   
  
“It must have been lonely before though,” Jester looked at him sadly.   
  
“A bit,” Fjord nodded, “but you get use to it.” To some extent. He had to figure out how to keep himself occupied. He usually only had his thoughts to go on or counting the supplies he was due to ship over. He had a connected piece of string that he made shapes out of and messed around with. One would be surprised with the amount of things someone could create out of string. It was also a method he used to practice various knots, all of which had come in use to him as a sailor to had to secure his boat and boxes in his lower deck.   
  
“When I feel lonely, I draw in my journal for the The Traveler. You should get a journal to draw in,” she recommended.   
  
“I can’t exactly draw…”   
  
“That’s okay, I’ll teach you! It’ll be fun!”   
  
“Sure,” Fjord was always up for learning something new, “I’d appreciate that.”   
  
“You’re always so appreciative, Fjord,” she smiled happily.   
  
“Don’t see a reason not to be,” he shrugged.   
  
“You’re a good dude.”   
  
“You’re good as well.”   
  
Jester grinned, “Thank you.”   
  
Fjord grinned at her right back.   


 

* * *

 

They spent the next few hours conversing and waiting until they finally hit the portion of land that was their destination. As night came upon the skies, the wind picked up. Fjord was able to use their newfound wind speed to their advantage, though the movement of the boat spooked Jester. He reassured her during their last hours of travel to the shoreline.   
  
They got there later than he had anticipated, even with the faster winds guiding them where they needed to go, but they had made it their safely. That was all Fjord cared about.   
  
He roped up his boat on one of the familiar docks and glanced around. There were a few sailors but their own boats, but he still thought it was too late to meet the person he had to give the supplies to. The man was suppose to be near the boating shop with his car, not far off from the docks. Fjord could see that the person was not there, but would be anticipating his arrival in the morning. It was agreed upon that Fjord would have arrived yesterday, today, or within the next two days. Sailing depended on the weather and the creatures in the sea, so there was a range of when Fjord would be able to arrive there.   
  
Turning around, he could see Jester already laying on her pack, ready to fall asleep. Fjord felt guilty that she was spending another night on the boat with him when she could have found somewhere warmer to sleep. At the same moment, a small smile appeared on his face, grateful that he would not be alone another night.


	5. Port Damali

Fjord was able to sleep a bit longer now that they had hit land. Albeit, he had to stay aware as he slept. He had cargo he was getting paid to deliver; he could not risk anybody coming on his boat and stealing it.   
  
Fjord was lucky that no one could see where his cargo latch was unless they came upon the boat itself. There was no incidence during the night, and when sunlight broke the horizon, Fjord’s eyes blinked open.   
  
Sitting up, he saw that Jester was still sleeping. He glanced towards the boat shop and did not see who he was looking for. Fjord chose that moment to take out some of his food and eat a bit, knowing that once the supplies were out of his boat, that he and Jester would continue on their way to Port Damali.   
  
Fjord heard Jester wake up with a yawn. She looked over and saw that Fjord was eating, so without a word, she immediately took out one of her pastries and began to snack on it.   
  
“I can’t wait for Port Damali,” Jester spoke excitedly, mouth full of food.   
  
The corner of Fjord’s mouth curled up, then focused back on his own breakfast.   
  
It was about another hour or so that Fjord finally spotted the man he was waiting for (at least, he was hoping that was the same man).   
  
“I’ll be right back,” Fjord told Jester making his way towards the other end of the boat.   
  
“Wait, where are you going?” Jester sat up straighter, obviously nervous that he was going to completely leave her there.   
  
“I’m gonna go meet the guy who’s picking up the supplies,” he pointed one of his thumbs towards the cart near the boat shop. “I’ll be back in a minute or two.”   
  
“Okay,” Jester put her hands on her lap, watching Fjord nod to her in acknowledgement and going on his way.   
  
Fjord hopped off the boat and spent a good two minutes walking before he saw the human be was suppose to meet. “Verdor Griv?”   
  
“Fjord, I presume?” He outstretched his hand and shook his hand. “Nice to meet ya. You by the dock?”   
  
Fjord put his hand down and nodded, “It is.”   
  
“I’ll bring the cart closer and meet you there.”   
  
Fjord nodded and went back to his boat. He saw Jester standing on the land by his boat, twirling around. He thought she might just be happy to be on land again. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone was used to being on the water for that many days.   
  
“He’ll be coming over in a second,” he informed her once he was close. He hopped back up on his boat and undid the latch to retrieve the cargo underneath. He went down the ladder to at least bring one box up. Fjord, as gently as he could, did his best to hike over a box onto the boat. He was not the strongest of men, but he had to do the best he could if he were to complete a job.   
  
He was coming back up the ladder when he heard, “I can help you, Fjord!”   
  
“Oh, no, Jester, that’s --” Fjord cut himself off as he saw the small, blue tiefling easily lift what Fjord thought was a heavy box, “Oh,” his eyebrows raised, almost impressed, “I did not know that.”   
  
“Where do you want this?”   
  
“Uh,” Fjord’s gaze moved over to where the man had put his cart closer to the docks, “on that man’s cart over there.”   
  
Verdor stepped off where he was controlling the horses whom were pulling his cart. He raised a brow of his own as Jester passed him to put the box on the cart.   
  
The human looked over at Fjord, “She’s a keeper.”   
  
Fjord’s mouth went agape, not sure how to respond.   
  
“You have beautiful horses!” Jester commented, walking over to pet one of them.   
  
“Thanks. They do me well.” Not bothered by her distraction with the horses, Verdor walked over to Fjord, ready to help with the rest of the supplies.   
  
With Jester’s help, Fjord and Verdor had an easier time unloading everything from the bottom deck of his boat and onto Verdor’s cart.   
  
It took about an hour to finish, and when they were done, Verdor shook both their hands and tipped them kindly for the work that they did to put everything on his cart. Fjord would get paid in full by the human who originally hired him, and as agreed, Fjord would receive the gold at a Port Damali mail station in his name. Fjord was not sure if he would be heading back to Trostenwald or a part of the Menagerie Coast, so he figured it was smarter to simply pick up his coins where he knew he was going.   
  
“That was fun!” Jester commented cheerfully, skipping onto the boat without Fjord’s help.   
  
“Thanks for helping out, you didn’t have to do that,” he said sincerely as he climbed onto the boat himself.   
  
“Oh, of course! It was easy!”   
  
Fjord let a pause pass, “Yeah,” he let the word linger, then turned away from her to detach his boat from the docks.   
  
“We’re only gonna be here on the boat for a few hours, right?” Jester sat down on the bench she had made her home the last few days.   
  
“Most of the day. We’ll probably get there during the night.” Fjord pushed off his boat and went to adjust his sails.   
  
“Are we going to find an inn?”   
  
Fjord nodded, “We can. All the important cargo is off the boat.” There was always a fear someone was going to steal his boat if he slept somewhere else, but that was a risk he took whenever he arrived at his destination. Even Fjord needed a good night’s rest in a bed.   
  
“Good! This boat did a number on my back,” Jester put a hand on her lower back and bent backwards, as if to crack it.   
  
“You could have slept somewhere else last night,” he reminded her.   
  
“I didn’t want to leave you alone!” Jester exasperated.   
  
“I know, I know,” he held his hands up, “and I appreciated it.”   
  
Jester gave him one, singular firm nod, “Good.”   
  
She smiled at him, and he instinctively smiled back.   
  
Jester sighed contently and leaned back, “We’re gonna have so much fun in Port Damali.”   
  
“I hope so,” Fjord mumbled, focusing on the shift of the wind.   
  
With a smile and a shrug, Jester opened up her journal, ready to draw pictures for The Traveler of the beginning of her day (or a manipulation of what her day looked like).   


 

* * *

 

Fjord was not wrong about when they were going to arrive at Port Damali. If Fjord would have to guess, he would say it was six or so hours passed dusk. He guided his boat to their familiar docks and secured it with his rope.   
  
Jester had been excited to arrive and go to an inn. However, she ultimately fell asleep, head slumping onto her own shoulder, journal slouching between her legs.   
  
Fjord did not want to wake her, but he also did not want to deprive her of a warmer place to sleep tonight.   
  
Walking over carefully, he leaned down and put a hand on her shoulder. He shook it for a moment, “Jester,” he spoke softly, “Jester, we’re here.”   
  
“Where?” she mumbled, eyes slowly opening back up.   
  
“Port Damali.”   
  
“Port Damali?!” her eyes widened and she immediately sat up. “Great!” she stood up, “Let’s go find an inn!”   
  
“Okay. Let me just gather my things.” Jester nodded while Fjord turned around. He put his pack and the non-perishables he had together, then swung it all over his shoulders. “You ready?” He asked, looking over to her under the starlight.   
  
“Yup!” She had her pack that she filled with all her things crossed over her shoulders, ready to finally sleep somewhere warm and comfortable.   
  
“Okay,” Fjord nodded in acknowledgment. He waited for her to head to the front of the boat with him and subsequently hopped off. He turned around to help Jester down, but she had already done so herself.   
  
Jester followed Fjord as they moved into the large town. It was obvious that Fjord had been there many times, so she trusted that she was going to find them a good place to sleep.   
  
It took them ten minutes to get to a tavern. They walked in, making their way to the desk in order to get their rooms.   
  
“Hey, Fjord. It’s been awhile,” a female half-elf greeted, a smile on her face.   
  
“Hey, Coyra. Two rooms, singles,” Fjord spoke, getting out his coins.   
  
She raised a brow, glancing at the tiefling next to him briefly before turning her attention back to him, “How many days?”   
  
“Just two I think,” Fjord told her, handing her the amount of coins he knew would be needed, having been at this tavern more than once before.   
  
“Okay.” Coyra leaned down and retrieved both their keys. Handing him their keys, she said with a smile, “Have a good night.”   
  
“You too,” Fjord replied, handing Jester her key.   
  
They made their way up the stairs before Jester wondered, “So you and Coyra,” she paused, “have you two ever slept together? She seems to like you.”   
  
Fjord stopped in his tracks, brows furrowing. He shook his head quickly, “No, I’ve just been here a lot. We’ve never been… romantically together.”   
  
“Do you want to? She smiled at you like she liked you”   
  
“You smile at me like that too,” he pointed out before realizing what he just said.   
  
Jester froze.   
  
“I’m… not interested in her that way.”   
  
“You’re not?” Fjord shook his head. “Good.”   
  
“Good?” he looked at her suspiciously.   
  
“Yeah, she’s just not… I don’t see her with you is all.”   
  
“Okay,” he eyed her one more time.   
  
There was a brief silence between them.   
  
“Good night, Fjord.” Jester took a few steps forward and unlocked the door to her room.   
  
“Good night, Jester.” Fjord watched her enter her tavern room, standing there in his spot for an extra amount of time before he walked to the tavern door next to her to enter his own.


	6. Port Damali: Revelations

Fjord entered his room, confused about he and Jester’s last conversation. He was not always the best at picking up hints, but… no, she did not like him in that sort of way. They had only known each other for a few days. And although she was cute and he was endeared by her positive demeanor, he could not admit to himself that he liked her. They mentioned continuing on together; however, there was a bigger chance that they were going to part ways after their overnight stays in the tavern were up, and he already knew he was going to miss her.   
  
He would have to make the best of the next day.   


 

* * *

 

The next morning he awoke to a knock on his room door and a familiar voice saying, “Aye oh aye, good morning!”   
  
Getting out of bed, glad to have finally had a full, good night’s rest, he answered the door, a small smile on his face. “Hey Jester. Aye oh aye, yourself.”   
  
“I’m hungry, lets get breakfast.” Jester grinned up at him.   
  
“Alright,” he nodded, “I’m just gonna go grab some things,” he pointed with his thumb behind him. Walking back into his room, he grabbed a smaller pack out of his larger one. He did not want to haul around a large pack while he went through town, his arms would be sore for days. He had a day pack that he utilized whenever he had time off.   
  
Stepping out of his room, he closed and locked the door behind him. He saw Jester run quickly out of his peripheral vision, and as he stepped closer to the stairs, he saw her down at the bottom.   
  
Jester stopped what she was doing when she noticed Fjord coming down.   
  
Fjord barely registered the unreal expression Coyra was giving Jester as they passed by, not realizing that she had witnessed the tiefling continuously run up and down the stairs for seemingly no reason.   
  
“Alright, what would you like? They have a lot of breakfast options.” Fjord told Jester as they sat down at a small table.   
  
“Do they have pancakes? I would like pancakes with lots of syrup.”   
  
“I bet,” Fjord mumbled. “They do have pancakes,” he spoke louder so she heard.   
  
“Great!” Jester smiled widely, “I’ll have that.”   
  
Fjord nodded as one of the tavern waiters came over.   
  
“Hey, Fjord,” the waiter politely greeted before bringing his attention to the both of them, “what would ya like?”   
  
“I’ll take pancakes with lots of syrup and really, really big glass of milk.” Jester looked at Fjord, “Syrup is very sticky.”   
  
Fjord gave her a nod, then informed the waiter his order, “I’ll have some eggs, sausage, and bread. Thanks, Graf.”   
  
“Alright. Food should be done in about ten minutes.”   
  
Fjord gave Graf another thanks before bringing his attention to Jester. He furrowed his eyebrows as her hands messed with the sugar and salt shakers. “What are you doing?”   
  
“Nothing,” Jester spoke in a sing-song voice, putting back the salt and sugar shakers where they had been previously.   
  
He swore she looked proud of herself, but he had no idea what for.   
  
Jester tapped her fingers on the table as they waited, and Fjord watched her. He wanted to tell her to stop; he could not bring himself to do it. He was still getting over last night’s conversation and did not need anything to mix with those emotions.   
  
Graf brought over their food in quick enough time, and five minutes into eating, Jester broke the silence, “What are we going to do today?”   
  
“I have to go pick up my payment from the mail station, but then after that I was thinking we could head to the marketplace? There’s a lot of stuff to look at there, maybe something you’d like.”   
  
“Do they have pastries?” Jester smiled in excitement.   
  
“They do,” Fjord nodded.   
  
“I am very happy with this plan,” Jester wiggled her brows, then went back to her pancakes.   
  
Fjord felt heat rising to his cheeks, “Glad to hear it.”   
  
It did not take them long to finish what was given to them, both not having eaten cooked, warm meals in a few days time. Fjord had enough food on the trip, but nothing beat out a well-made meal.   
  
“Let’s get going!” Jester jumped out of her seat. However, she remembered she had to pay for her breakfast and frowned. She went searching through her pack for a couple coins, not finding what she was hoping for.   
  
Fjord was confused by Jester’s actions at first, though realized what she was doing a moment later.   
  
“Don’t worry about it, I got it.”   
  
“Are you sure? I’m not a moocher.”   
  
“I’m sure.” Fjord put enough coins on the table to cover them both.   
  
“Thank you, Fjord.” Jester gave him a sweet smile.   
  
“Don’t even worry about it.”   
  
“I can pay you back. You also brought me here on a boat… and paid for my room at the inn.”   
  
“Don’t worry about it, Jester, really,” Fjord told her sincerely.   
  
“Okay,” her voice in a sing-song. “If you change your mind, you tell me though! Okay?”   
  
“I will. I promise,” Fjord reassured.   
  
“Good! Now let’s go!” she put her arm on his and cheerfully pulled him to the front of the tavern.   


 

* * *

 

Fjord picked up his payment at the mail station. Jester made a loud comment, “That’s a lot of money!”, that Fjord did not appreciate in a public space, ready to head out to their next destination.   
  
Jester took one look at the hustle and bustle of the marketplace and exclaimed, “I love this!” She grinned and made her way over to where she saw a sparkling object.   
  
Fjord sighed, not unhappily, and followed her.   
  
They spent two hours exploring the marketplace. Jester found many objects she enjoyed looking at, pastries that Fjord offered to pay for since he told her she should try some of the original Port Damali desserts, turned items backwards whenever others around her were not looking, and discovered a familiar card.   
  
“Hey! I recognize this!” Jester picked up the card from the vendor and opened it up. She frowned, confused, “This looks like my father’s handwriting.”   
  
Fjord turned around from his watch of the crowd, “What does it say?”   
  
“It says, ‘Like the wind I am away, flowing down a river of my own. I say goodbye to those I loved, farewell dear Nicodranas, I knew ye well.’”   
  
“You’re from Nicodranas, right? Could this be your dad?” Fjord observed her, trying to make out the emotions she might be feeling at finding something of her missing father’s.   
  
“I don’t know. It’s like a goodbye letter,” Jester flipped the card over to see if there was anything else on it, “Why would it be here?”   
  
“I don’t know, Jester.” He paused. “Do you think this is why you were suppose to come here? You said you thought The Traveler wanted you to come here. Could this be why?”   
  
“Well, The Traveler tries to make me do pranks and trick me all the time, so I can’t be sure.”   
  
“If you want, I can buy the card for you. I’m sure it’s not a lot.” Fjord offered. If it was her father’s, he wanted her to have it.   
  
Jester hesitated, “You already spent a lot of money on me, so…”   
  
“Don’t worry about it.” He shook his head and walked over to the woman who owned the stand. “We’ll take the card she’s holding over there.” He glanced over to Jester who was still inspecting the card.   
  
The woman nodded, “Okay. I’ll take one copper for it.”   
  
Fjord handed her the copper, then chose to ask, “Do you remember where you got that card from or who it’s from?”   
  
“Nope,” she shook her head, “I travel around a lot and sometimes things just end up on my cart to be sold. I don’t look at ‘em too often, sorry to say.”   
  
“It’s alright. Thank you.” Fjord stepped towards Jester, “You okay?”   
  
“Yeah.” Jester put the card in her pack safely.   
  
“Why don’t we sit down somewhere? Eat some of the pastries we got?”   
  
“Okay,” Jester smiled up at him, happy for the distraction. She would think about the card another day or wait to ask her mother about it. Maybe this was why The Traveler sent her here? If that was the case, maybe he was not as big of a dick as she thought he was.   


 

* * *

 

Jester was generally cheerful at all times, but her personality shifted, not much, for a few hours. Fjord originally asked a question or two more about the card and what she was going to do with it, and after she answered him, they a few of their pastries in silence.   
  
Fjord was not used to this type of silence from Jester, so instead of her trying to make him smile, he tried to do that for her.   
  
Jester’s small smiles and the way she brought her gaze to his made him realize that she noticed what he was doing and appreciated it. That realization caused his stomach to tighten.   
  
He did not want to leave her.   


 

* * *

 

Over a number of hours and a plentiful dinner, Jester was back to acting like herself. Fjord was worried for her, though could not have been more glad that she was feeling better.   
  
“Fjord, where are you going after this?”   
  
“You mean once we get up from this table?” Fjord and Jester were hanging out at one of the tables in the tavern as the darkness outside accompanied the sky.   
  
“No, tomorrow.”   
  
He bypassed her inquiry to ask her one of his own. “Where are you going?”   
  
“I asked you first!” She pointed a finger at him.   
  
“I don’t know.” Fjord told her honestly. A part of him had wanted to go with her, teach her how to build a campfire, and have her as his companion on another trip. It was wishful thinking, but a small bit of him had hope.   
  
“I might go to Nicodranas to see my mom to ask her about the card.”   
  
“Do you want company?” His heart tightened.   
  
“You’d want to come with me?” Jester began smiling.   
  
“Sure. I don’t have any other trips planned, and,” he hesitated, “I like your company.”   
  
Jester grinned brightly. “I like your company,” she gave him a suggestive look, “if you want, you can have my company tonight too.”   
  
“What?” Fjord’s mouth went agape, expression confused.   
  
“Oh, you know,” she moved her brows up and down.   
  
It took him a moment, then he understood, the green skin of his cheeks turning red, “Oh jeez.”   
  
“I see it on your face! It’s an agreement!”   
  
He had no words. He… was not against the idea.   
  
He also allowed her to smile up at him sweetly and guide him into her room once they headed up the stairs.   
  
Yeah, he did not think he was going to be missing her anytime soon. She would be right there.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone. <3

Fjord woke up before Jester. He was hyper-aware of her presence next to him. Last night involved lips, hands, fingers, and a connection he did not want to give up.   
  
He did not know what they were, but they were, in some sense, together, and that was what he had desired. He did not have to miss her when she was with him, and in this capacity, his heart would not be missing anything either.   
  
“Morning, Fjord,” Jester mumbled into his chest. She nuzzled her nose into his chest and looked up to his face. “Last night was fun,” she smiled wickedly up at him.   
  
“Yeah, it was…” Fjord let his eyes wander down to where he could see the rest of her. “Very enjoyable.”   
  
“I can’t wait to do it again! We have a long trip ahead of us until we get to Nicodranas.” She nodded enthusiastically.   
  
“We’re gonna have to get a cart,” Fjord remembered, hand absentmindedly stroking her back.   
  
“Easy peasy.” Jester said with a hand wave. “We could always get a tent and walk if not though.”   
  
“That’s true,” Fjord nodded.   
  
“Good! That’s settled then!” Jester shifted until she was on top of him.   
  
For awhile, Fjord did not worry about how they were going to travel.   


 

* * *

 

When Fjord and Jester finally made it out of Jester’s room, they gathered their things and went to have breakfast.   
  
They conversed, ate breakfast, then went on their way to a nearby store. They needed bedrolls, tinder bundles, food, water, and a tent.   
  
Fjord was used to sailing for days on end; he would have to get used to doing the same on land.   


 

* * *

 

They headed out midday with a promise from a sailor Fjord knew to keep his boat safe. Jester was able to take a quick look at a map from the general store and figure out exactly where they were going. It also helped that Fjord knew directions by the stars and would help guide them back on the path where they needed to be if they got lost.  
  
It would take six days on foot to get to Nicodranas. Fjord had never been there, so it was Jester’s turn to show him the stores, where she hung out as a child, and her home.  
  
Fjord met Jester’s mother, a tiefling with a bright smile and friendly demeanor. She was not as cheerful as Jester, but it was easy for Fjord to see the resemblance in their looks and personality.  
  
She was welcoming, allowing Fjord to stay in their home for as long as he desired.  
  
Jester had been patient up until this point. “Mom,” she took the card out of her pack, “is this dad’s? Do you recognize it?” She handed the card to her mother.  
  
The older tiefling’s expression confessed confusion. She gingerly took the card from her daughter. She opened it, and after reading the words, she inquired where she had found it.  
  
“We found it on vendor stand in Port Damali.”  
  
She had never seen the card before, much to Jester’s dismay, but in a way, it was enough.  
  
Jester believed she was meant to find that card, meant to get closure about her father in the only way that, possibly, The Traveler knew how. She would take it for what it was, because that closure lifted whatever had been on her shoulders since her father went missing.  
  
He could have left of his own accord, wanting nothing more to do with them, but Jester got a goodbye and that was enough.  
  
Fjord stood back from the conversation, then watched as Jester’s mother went to her room to take some time for herself.  
  
“Are you okay?” Fjord asked softly.  
  
“Yeah,” Jester nodded with a small smile. She turned her gaze up to him, “I think I am.”  
  
She was not lying, and he could tell. Fjord put a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Jester might be accepting of her father’s circumstance, but that did not mean there were not emotions brewing.  
  
And he would be there for her as long as she needed him.  


 

* * *

 

He was with her for days, then months. They traveled, Fjord took a few jobs to earn coin, and befriended others along the way.   
  
They met a monk, carnies, a thief, and the thief’s human companion.   
  
Fjord did not expect his life to throw him so many people. Fjord did not expect anyone like Jester to come into his life.   
  
He felt fuller with his life than he did in a long time. He and Jester had even managed to see Fjord’s father. She was able to heal him the best she could. It was not a lot, but it was something, and Fjord was grateful.   
  
Jester filled a part of his life, a part of himself, that he did not know was missing.   
  
He was use to being on the sea, but he did not have to stay there.   
  
His heart came with him whether he was on land or sea. Jester was where his home was, and their new friends were welcomed guests.   
  
It would take time until he whispered that he loved her during a lull in the night, her response being in kind.   
  
But that was okay. They had all the time in the world.   
  
He never had to miss her, and he would always love her.   
  
His life was more than he thought it would ever be, and his heart could not have been fuller.


End file.
